


warmth

by HannahPelham



Category: Call the Midwife
Genre: F/M, SUPER CHEESY, Soulmate AU, vaguely festive but not finished by christmas because of who i am fundamentally as a person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:21:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29040792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HannahPelham/pseuds/HannahPelham
Summary: Soulmate AU: When you are near your soulmate, you get an overwhelming feeling of something.Once Shelagh returns to Nonnatus House as Shelagh Mannion, she feels an overwhelming feeling of warmth and comfort whenever she's near Dr Turner, but surely it can't mean he's her soulmate, can it?
Relationships: Bernadette | Shelagh Turner/Patrick Turner
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	warmth

**Author's Note:**

> un-betad because we like to live on the edge, credit and copyright for the last few words go to Heidi Thomas and the BBC. Enjoy!

Shelagh Mannion had always remembered the stories from her childhood about soulmates. She remembered the girls at school trying to work out if they’d been in their soulmate’s proximity, and had had their overwhelming sense of ‘something’. In the end, only one of them thought they’d had it, having only been able to smell freshly baked bread whilst locking eyes with one of the boys in the year above. It wasn’t until she was telling the story that she realised they’d been standing outside the village bakery. 

When Shelagh had taken her religious orders and become Sister Bernadette, she’d resigned herself to assuming she didn’t have a soulmate, as her soulmate must be God. The religious life was her calling, so she couldn’t have a soulmate. 

As she returned to Poplar, once again Shelagh Mannion, she sat on the bus and wondered about whether she would, in fact, experience this phenomenon. When she’d spoken to Sister Julienne about her situation, the elder Sister reassured her that she’d be welcomed back with open arms after her stay at the Mother House. 

Walking back into Nonnatus House as Miss Mannion was one of the most nerve-wracking things Shelagh thought she’d ever done. She hadn’t expected to be almost attacked by hugs from nurses wanting to welcome her home. 

Shelagh was nervous, returning to Nonnatus House as Shelagh, rather than Sister Bernadette. She was worried that people would walk on glass around her, trying not to say anything wrong to upset her. She knew it must be strange for them, a former Nun walking around and working where she had formerly been a religious sister, but none of them said anything. Instead, they welcomed her back like nothing had changed. Trixie helped her find some new clothes, something more up to date than what she had had before joining the Order. Trixie and the other nurses had been essential in helping Shelagh feel comfortable, and though she hadn’t realised before, Shelagh now didn’t think she could live without them. 

Shelagh spent most of her time getting used to being back at Nonnatus managing the clinical room, preparing the Nurses bags and making sure the Nonnatus operation ran smoothly. Whilst she was still finding her feet, the clinical room seemed like a lovely place for Shelagh to be. 

It wasn’t until two weeks before Christmas that Shelagh ran into Dr Patrick Turner for the first time since her return. Obviously she knew that Dr Turner knew about her going back to being Nurse Mannion, but she wondered how he’d take it. Most people had taken it well and she’d have been surprised if he’d reacted badly, but she was worried all the same. 

“Nurse Mannion, wonderful to have you back and to see you looking so healthy” Dr Turner said as he passed her in the corridors of Nonnatus House, smiling widely.

“Thank you Dr Turner, it’s wonderful to be back” Shelagh replied, and for the first time, she really thought she meant it. 

It was only a brief interaction, but it played on Shelagh’s mind. Before she’d left for the Sanitorium, she had thought there may be something between the Doctor and herself. When he’d kissed her hand after patching her up at the fete, she’d wanted to kiss him more badly than she’d wanted anything in her life. 

Shelagh couldn’t stop thinking about him. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since that moment after the fete. Her mind was full of Dr Turner. His slicked back hair that sometimes fell in front of his face, his hands dry from years and years of washing them hundreds of times a day, his tie that was sometimes wonky now his wife wasn’t around to straighten it before he left the house. 

She didn’t even know his christan name, but she couldn’t stop thinking about hm

It was once she was back in the safety of her room that Shelagh realised something. Whilst she had been with Dr Turner, however brief it was, she had had an overwhelming feeling of calm, of comfort, of joy. Could it have been  _ it _ ? Shelagh tried and tried to convince herself that those feelings couldn’t possibly have been the overwhelming feelings she’d been told about. 

She tried to tell herself that it couldn’t possibly be it, it couldn’t possibly be anything as simple as that. There was no way it could be something as simple as that. 

Besides, Dr Turner had been married and widowed. Surely his late wife Marianne had been his soulmate, and he wouldn’t have another one?

Over the next week, Shelagh found herself running into Dr Turner more and more. She supposed she was being braver about going out and trying not to worry about the stares, rather than going out just in case she came across the Doctor again, wanting to feel the warmth and comfort his presence brought her. Every time she saw him, her heart sang and the soon familiar wash of joy and calm and contentment came over her. Shelagh, being Shelagh, of course found something to worry about. She worried that he didn’t feel the same way. She worried that he didn’t feel that same hypnotising rush whenever he was near her. 

She almost worried herself sick that her feelings weren’t reciprocated by him, convincing herself that she was destined to love him afar for the rest of her days. It wouldn’t be ideal, she decided, but it would have to do. 

It was about four days before Christmas when Dr Turner and Timothy turned up on Nonnatus House’s doorstep, with sad looks on their faces. 

As Sister Monica Joan handed them each a slice of cake, and Sister Evangelina provided tea, they explained that a water pipe had burst in their flat, and wouldn’t be fixed until after christmas. 

“Please can we spend Christmas here?” Timothy asked after a few minutes of grown-up talk had bored him to tears. 

And so it was, Dr and Timothy Turner spent their Christmas day at Nonnatus House, and for most of that day, Shelagh felt like she couldn’t breathe. The overwhelming calm and safety was there, of course it was, he was there, but she was nervous too. This would be the first time they spent a long time together. She felt herself having to work hard to keep her eyes off him. When she did have to look at him, she tried hard not to look too much like a lovesick schoolgirl, which she knew there was a risk of. 

By the time everyone was crowded in front of the television with a cup of tea, it was all too much. Shelagh made her excuses and made her way to the front steps of Nonnatus House. She sat down, wrapping her cardigan tightly around her shoulders, and took some deep breaths. The warmth and comfort and safety she’d felt whilst sitting inside with the Doctor was gone, and Shelagh felt some relief, some space to breathe. It was so overwhelming that she needed that relief. Then, she felt it again, washing over her. She heard the door open behind her, and she knew it was him. She turned around, and she saw Dr Turner stood there, with the most adoring look on his face. She smiled weakly and nodded, confirming the question he hadn’t asked. She knew he wanted to ask if she felt it too, she could just tell. 

She stood up, and walked up the couple of steps to meet him. She looked up at him and couldn’t help but break into a grin when she saw the love in his eyes. 

“I feel it too, Doctor” she whispered, unable to look away. 

“Warmth, safety, hope” he replied, matching her tone. Shelagh nodded gently, and after a moment or so, felt Dr Turner’s lips meet hers. It was quick and gentle and careful, but it said everything it needed to. 

Shelagh didn’t need to say to him that she needed time to process things, from the squeeze he gave her hand, she knew he understood. He understood that she was still finding her feet in the outside world, and that she needed time and perhaps a little bit of space, but to know he was there. She squeezed his hand back, and opened the door again, so they could go inside and warm up. 

They went back inside, and said nothing of it, but now Shelagh felt like she could breathe again, it was no longer stifling. When she looked at the Doctor, she got a nervous, shy smile from him in return. 

Shelagh didn’t know anybody, really, to get letters from, so she was surprised when one turned up for her a few days later. When she found a free moment, she read it, and couldn’t believe what she saw.

_ Dear Miss Mannion, _

_ I cannot stop thinking about Christmas Day. Whenever I am around you, I am surrounded by a feeling of warmth, of comfort, of hope, and of joy. They are feelings I haven’t often felt since Marianne passed away. I know what this feeling is, and I hope you feel it as strongly as I do. I feel myself bound to you by what I feel, by the complete adoration for you that fills me.  _

_ I ask you to meet me outside Nonnatus this evening after rounds, so I can tell you everything I want to say now.  _

_ Yours most faithfully and sincerely _

_ Patrick Turner _

Once rounds ended, and everyone else was safely inside, Shelagh sat on the steps of Nonnatus House and waited. Waited for his car to come around the corner, to see his face, and to feel everything that being near Dr Turner had come to mean to her. 

When she did see his car round the corner, she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest, but any nerves disappeared the moment she saw his face, and the smile plastered on it. 

Shelagh stood up to greet him, and soon she found herself melting into his arms as he ran up to her and kissed her. It was deep and searing and full of love. He pulled away far too quickly for Shelagh’s liking.

“I love you” he whispered, “I love you and I don’t even know your name”

“Shelagh”

“Patrick”

“There, we’ve made a start”


End file.
